Lebanon will likely reduce land transportation fees after a dramatic drop in the price of gasoline and diesel, the head of the transportation sector union announced Tuesday.
“We are heading toward a reduction of fees, and this will be accompanied by a many decisions and measures to protect both the driver and the citizen,” Bassam Tleis said after meeting with Public Works and Transportation Minister Ghazi Zeaiter.
Tlais stressed that transportation fees were determined by Zeaiter, but that the latter had called for a meeting to listen to the unions’ point of view.
“We have agreed to form a committee with the Director General of Land Transportation,” he added, saying the committee would hold its first meeting in the next 48 hours to make a decision concerning fees.
Tlais also highlighted the need to prevent competition from non-Lebanese drivers in the transportation market.
He said a meeting would soon be held with Interior Minister Nouhad Machnouk to discuss the measures to be taken to regulate the market.
“All the final decisions will be announced Monday, after all the meetings take place,” Tlais said.
The transportation sector in Lebanon is loosely regulated and the country lacks a public transportation network. The cost of taking a shared taxi, called “service,” is now at L.L. 2000, while bus fees depend on drivers and distance.
Lebanon has witnessed a sharp decrease in fuel prices over the past month as Brent crude hit a five-and-a-half-year low of less than $50 a barrel. The price of 20L of Gasoline in Lebanon has reached as low as LL22,400 and LL23,000, for the 95-octane and 98-octane respectively.
